While we were gone: Hagelin/Kreider swapped in lineup

While we were gone for the server upgrade, Alain Vigneault switched up his lines a bit. He moved Chris Kreider to the second line with Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis, and moved Carl Hagelin to the top line with Derek Stepan and Rick Nash. This essentially gives the Rangers two top lines (1 and 1a, as you can’t really call either one a “second” line). It’s something we had been wanting for a while ’round these parts, as the Richards/MSL combo needed a finisher and net presence (Kreider), and the Stepan/Nash combo needed someone to drive puck possession a bit more effectively (Hagelin).

Naturally those lines didn’t score last night, but the lines are probably going to get another look tonight in Winnipeg. I’d like to see Raphael Diaz get a go over the severely struggling Anton Stralman, but it doesn’t sound like that’s going to happen.

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8 comments

Like Ron MacLean to Don Cherry I’m lining up with you on this one, Dave.

For all intents, Stralman seems to have resolved himself into a disinterested performer. Maybe he’s playing injured. Might also be a case of the Swedish D-man already picturing that dacha he can buy/enjoy with his new KHL contract next season.

Regardless of cause, I agree: sit him for Diaz. Be it Cameron, Raphael, hell even Bo Diaz. Or let’s call-up The Undertaker, maybe Conor Allen.

We’re taking on water. The D looks disorganized to verging on scrambly.

Hell, how many two-on-oh’s can we afford in a stretch run? It’s here where I miss assistant coach Mike Sullivan putting his size 11 Bass Weejum up someone’s backside.

Completely off-topic, irrelevant observation, but Colorado’s top 4 scorers are Duchene, O’Reilly, Landeskog, and Mackinnon. All four are 23 or younger and all have more points than anyone on the Rangers.

Most of those two on ones are with Mr Staal failing to get back on defense. As for Stralman kneeling/sitting down in the crease, Mr Staal is ABSOLUTELY NEVER IN PROXIMATEY TO HIS GOALIE’S CREASE. No secret that ever since Chris Neil punched Staaj in the face, cutting Staal in front of Lundquist on Jan 10, 2009 Staal has lost whatever guts he had. Staal has never regained his physicality since.